Apparatus for distilling liquid hydrocarbons



Oct. 14,1930. N.E. MERRILL 1 778259 APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING LIQUIDHYDROCARBONS Filed Jan. .1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fall ICE Il/YAWTORQMir/1M 1 flame/41..

-Oct. 14, 1930. N. E. MERRILL APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING LIQUIDHYDROCARBONS Filed Jan. 50

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m 7% NB% Patented Oct. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE NATHAN E. MERRILL, OF LONGBEACH, CALIFORNIA ArrABA'rUs FOR DISTILLING LIQUID rrY'nnocAaizonsApplication filed January 30, 1926. Serial No. 84,807.

An object of my invention is to provide a shell construction throughwhich the fluid hydrocarbons may be continuously run.

Anotherobject is to provide an apparatus for treating fluid hydrocarbonswhich may be used as either a cracking or a straight distillation unit.

Further objects areto provide an apparatus of the character stated whichis simpler and less expensive in construction and operation.

A feature of the invention is to provide a sectional shell unit givingeasy access to the interior.

Another feature is to provide a sectional shell unit the varioussections of which may be quickly replaced at small expense.

Still another object of my invention is to maintain the vapors underpressure in the still at or above the temperature of vaporization.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of the characterstated which may be used as a dehydrator.

Advantages of my apparatus are :only a small amount of the treated fluidis exposed to the hazard of fire, and moisture in the fluid will notafl'ectthe operation.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and theappended claims.

In the drawings I have illustrated the pre- 7 ferred form of myinvention but it may also be embodied in other forms, and in thisapplication I desire to cover my invention in whatever form it may beembodied within the scope of my claims.

Fig. 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of my apparatus in operativeposition.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view on line 2-2 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 1, looking downwardly.

Fig. 4, is a sectional view on line 33 Fig. 1, looking upwardly.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lower part ofthe still showing a type of check valve.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the shell still or unit 1,comprises a lower tubular section 2, an intermediate section 3, an uppersection 4 and a cap 5. Each of the sections and the cap are flanged andriveted or bolted together, and each section may be removed for repairswithout disturbing the entire unit.

A heating plate 6 closes the lower end of the section 2 and is rivetedor bolted to said section, so that it may be removed when necessary.This plate may be concaved if desired for greater strength and heatingsurface.

The unit 1 is mounted on and rises from a furnace 7 and the section 2extends thru the wall of the furnace so that the plate 6 is directlyexposed to the heat. The furnace 7 may be of any well known constructionthe details of which form no part of this invention.

A conical wall 8 is provided in the section 2, and forms, with the plate6, a heating chamber 9. A tube 10 extends upwardly from the chamber 9 toadjacent the upper end of the section 4:, and the tube is open at thetop to permit the passage of vapors and fluid as will be furtherdescribed.

Baffle plates 11 are formed in a spiral on the outside of the tube 10and spiral baffle plates 12 extend inwardly from the wall of the section4 to coact with the plates 11. A wall 13 separates the sections 1 and 3to form a heat exchanger let in the section 3.

The fluid to be acted upon flows from a reservoir (not shown) into heatexchangers 15, thence through a pipe 16 to a coil 17 in the heatexchanger 1 L. A valve 18 in the pipe 16 controls the flow therethrough.The reservoir is at such an elevation that the fluid flows by gravityinto the exchanger 14:, thus eliminating a pump. The coil 17 extends toa check valve 18 which projects through the wall 8 into the chamber 9.This valve may be of any suitable type, such as the ball check shown,which prevents the fluid under pressure in the chamber 9 from passingback intothe coil 17. The fluid passes into the chamber 9 and rises inthe tube 10 to a height regulated by the height of the reservoir. Thefurnace 7 raises the fluid in the chamber 9 to the lUU requiredtemperature and liberatesthe vapors. These vapors pass upwardly in thetube 10, carrying a quantity of fiuid therewith.

A baffle plate19 is mounted in the top of the section 4:, andperforations 20 therein are so arranged that the fluid ejected from thetube 10 will not pass therethrough but will be deflected downwardly onthe baffle plates 11, 12, while the vapors pass through the perforationsinto the cap 5. As the fluid passes over the bafile plates 11,- 12, itis thoroughly agitated, and the vapors trapped therein are liberatedandpass upwardly along the spiral baflle and pass out into the cap 5. Thehot fluid after it reaches the bottom of the baffles passes throughholes 21 in the plate 13 into the heat exchanger 14, thus-raising thetem-.

perature of the incoming fluid in the coil 17.

A pipe 22 leads the hot fluid from the exchanger 14 to the coils of aheat exchanger23, and pipe 24fleads the hot fluid from these coils tothe coils of the heat exchanger 15.

' Thus the hotfluid. serves tooperate three sets of heat exchangers i.e. 14, 23 and 15.

The vapors after passing into the cap 5 are conducted through a pipe 25to a dephlegmator 26 which is of well known and standard construction.The vapors are partly condensed in the dephlegmator and the condensatepasses through a pipe 27 to the drum of the heat exchanger 23 and thevapors pass out through the duct 28. 1-

A steam coil 29 is provided in the lower part of the section 4, tocontrol the vapors in the section 4.

The chamber 9 is made relatively small so that the quantity of fluidtherein is quickly raised to the required temperature with. a smallexpenditure of fuel in the furnace 2'. The fluid and vapor risingtherefrom are maintained under hydro-static pressure in the chamber 9,under the heat of vaporization, and such pressure is determined by theheight of the tube 10, in which a constant flow of liquid and vapor ismaintained. Water in the fluid will not hinder, the operation of mydevice, since it merely passes off at the'lower temperature before thevapors (which come off at a high temperature) start to form.

If desired an air coil may be placed in the chamber'9 to aerate a fluidsuch as asphalt for roofing purposes. i

In a distilling or cracking process the operation is continuous; thefluid flows through the valve 18 into the chamber 9 as the fluid in saidchamber is forced out of the tube 17 and this constant in-coming of'fresh'fluid causes-an agitation and prevents settling of a residium.

A quick operating valve may be inserted in the coil 17 so that only asmall amountof fluid is exposed to the hazards of fire in the still. 1

I claimi V 1. In an apparatus for distilling liquid hydrocarbons thecombination I of a sectional shell, adapted to be mounted on a furnace,a plate removably secured to the bottom of said shell, said shell andplate forming a chamber above said plate'adapted to receive the liquidto be treated, said plate and chamber being within the. furnace, a tubewithin the shell rising from said chamber through which the vapors andliquid pass, and means to conduct the vapors from said shell.

- 2. In an apparatus for distilling liquid hy drocarbons; thecombination of a sectional shell, adapted to be mounted on a furnace, aplate removably secured to thebottom of'said shell, said shelland plateforming a chamber above said plate adapted to receive the liquid to betreated, said plate and chamber being within the furnace, a tube risingfrom said chamber through which the vapors and liquid pass, and means toconduct the vapors from said shell, and 1 a plurality of superposedbaflles in said shell over which the hot liquid passes after leaving thetube. r v 3. In an apparatus for distilling'liquid hydrocarbons thecombination of a sectional shell, adapted to be mounted on afurnace, aplate removabliy secured to the bottom of said shell, saidshell andplate forming a chamber above said plate adapted to receive theliquid tobe treated, said plate and chamber being within the furnace, a tuberising from said chamberwithin the shell through which the vapors andliquid pass, and means tocon'oluct the vapors from said shell, andbaffles in said shell over. which the hot liquidpasses, and a heatexchanger through which the incoming liquid passes and into which, thehot' liquid passes after passing over the bafiies. 4. In an apparatusfor distilling liquid hydrocarbons the combination of a shell, a plateremovably secured to the bottom of said shell, a oonical'wall in saidhousing above said plate and covering the plate, and a tube in'whichliquid being distilled rises, said tube rising from said wall within theshelhmeans to heat said plate, and a plurality of superposed NATHANE/MERRILL.

